Record-Breaking December: Steam Generated $1.6 Billion During Winter Sale

Steam wrapped up 2025 with its most profitable month to date, pulling in $1.6 billion in gross revenue in December.

The huge boost came during the annual Winter Sale, as over 100 million players took part in what’s now the platform’s biggest spending spree ever.

According to data from Alinea Analytics, this figure represents a 22.7% increase compared to December 2024 and even surpasses the pandemic-driven high of $1.4 billion from December 2020.

The extraction shooter ARC Raiders was a major force behind these record-breaking numbers. On Boxing Day alone, it sold an impressive 250,000 copies, boosted by a perfectly timed 20% discount across all platforms.

Between December 21 and January 4, the game racked up 1.2 million sales on Steam, securing the top spot in holiday unit sales. This surge pushed its total sales past 12 million, with 7 million of those coming from Steam.

While ARC Raiders led in copies sold, Counter-Strike 2 held onto its spot as Steam’s top earner. The free-to-play shooter keeps showing how profitable cosmetic-focused monetization can be, with Valve benefiting from the huge number of CS2 skin trades on the Steam marketplace every day. ARC Raiders came in second, pulling in another $32 million during this period, bringing its all-time total to $350 million.

The Winter Sale brought several unexpected success stories as well. Detroit: Become Human, Quantic Dream's sci-fi interactive drama, sold a staggering 993,000 copies during the two-week period thanks to its steepest discount ever at just $4, down from the usual $40 price tag.

The viral co-op climbing game PEAK also performed exceptionally well, shifting 779,000 copies and pushing its overall Steam sales past 16 million units.

Other notable performers included Icarus, which sold 735,000 copies after dropping from $35 to $3, and Battlefield 6, which moved another 706,000 units despite being a more recent release.

Even the beloved indie hit Slay the Spire joined the frenzy, selling 590,000 copies at its all-time low price of $2, a steep drop from $25. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, with the sequel rumored to hit early access in March.

Top 7 Steam Games by Copies Sold (Dec 21 - Jan 4):

1. ARC Raiders - 1.2 million copies

   • Sold 250,000 copies on Boxing Day alone

   • 20% discount helped drive sales

   • Reached 7 million total Steam copies

2. Detroit: Become Human - 993,000 copies

   • Discounted to $4 (from $40)

   • Deepest discount since 2020 Steam port

   • Surpassed 7 million total Steam copies

3. PEAK - 779,000 copies

   • Co-op climbing game

   • Crossed 16 million total Steam sales

4. Icarus - 735,000 copies

   • Discounted from $35 to $3

   • Surpassed 3.5 million total Steam copies

5. Battlefield 6 - 706,000 copies

   • 30% discount to $49

   • Continued strong momentum

6. R.E.P.O. - 666,000 copies

   • Co-op horror title

   • Approaching 20 million total copies

7. Slay the Spire - 590,000 copies

   • Discounted from $25 to $2

   • Reached 9 million+ total Steam copies

The record month coincided with Steam hitting a new all-time peak of 41.8 million concurrent players on January 4, 2026. As per the report, the combination of holiday spending, deeper player engagement during free time, and strategically timed discounts created the perfect storm for both established franchises and indie titles to thrive.